Dominic and the Ladies' Purse
| Dominic and the Ladies' Purse | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Gautham Vasudev Menon |
| Screenplay by | Gautham Vasudev Menon Neeraj Rajan Sooraj Rajan |
| Story by | Neeraj Rajan |
| Produced by | Mammootty |
| Starring | Mammootty Gokul Suresh Sushmitha Bhatt |
| Cinematography | Vishnu Dev |
| Edited by | Anthony |
| Music by | Darbuka Siva |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Wayfarer Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 152 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Budget | ₹19 crore[2] |
| Box office | ₹19.6 crore[3] |
Dominic and the Ladies' Purse is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language mystery comedy thriller film directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, in his Malayalam debut, and produced by Mammootty Kampany. The film stars Mammootty in the titular role, alongside Gokul Suresh, Sushmitha Bhat, Viji Venkatesh, Siddique, Vineeth and Vijay Babu. The film revolves around Dominic, a sharp but disgraced ex-cop, nice guy, who knows all the right moves and is now a detective, as he takes on a simple job to find the owner of a purse.
The film was officially announced in July 2024 under the tentative title Production No: 6, as it is the sixth production venture of Mammootty Kampany, and the official title was announced that September. Principal photography commenced the same month in Kochi. The film has music composed by Darbuka Siva, cinematography handled by Vishnu Dev and editing by Lewellyn Anthony.
The film was released theatrically on 23 January 2025 and received mixed reviews from critics.
Plot
[edit]Dominic is a former police officer whose career was ruined by a scandal. Once a brilliant cop, he's now living in a small, shabby apartment in Kochi, surviving by taking odd private investigation jobs. He's broke and weighed down by regret, but still sharp.
One day, his elderly landlady Mrs. Madhuri finds a ladies' purse at a hospital. She doesn't want to go to the police, so she offers Dominic a deal: if he finds the owner, she’ll forgive his long-pending rent. Dominic, reluctantly, agrees — seeing no other way to get out of his financial hole.
Dominic, along with his newly hired young assistant Vignesh, starts tracing the purse. Inside, they find a few clues: a hospital discharge summary, some cash, a lipstick, and a crumpled photo. The purse belongs to a woman named Pooja, who was recently discharged but never left the hospital properly — she simply vanished.
Trying to track her down, Dominic and Vignesh visit the hospital and learn that Pooja had no visitors and used fake information. It turns out she isn't the only woman who has gone missing after visiting medical facilities — several other young women have disappeared under similar mysterious circumstances.
As Dominic digs deeper, he starts facing obstacles. Some hospital officials act shady, and he gets warnings to back off. A few suspicious deaths follow — people who had loose ties to the missing women. What seemed like a simple missing-persons case turns into something much bigger and darker.
In the middle of all this, Dominic meets Nandhitha, a graceful and secretive dancer. She had seen Pooja shortly before she disappeared and seems nervous. Initially, Dominic suspects Nandhitha of hiding something critical. He keeps following the trail and gradually realizes that Nandhitha is not just a dancer — she’s an undercover investigative journalist who infiltrated a criminal network posing as a "wellness and recovery center" for women.
The truth is brutal: the women were being kidnapped under the cover of healthcare and sold into human trafficking rings operating across Kerala and beyond. Pooja had discovered the truth and tried to escape, but she was captured again. Before being taken, she had planted her purse with enough hints, hoping someone would find it.
Dominic decides to act before Pooja and others are permanently "disappeared." He risks his life, tracking down the headquarters of the trafficking operation. With help from Nandhitha and Vignesh, he breaks into the facility — leading to a tense, action-filled climax where he rescues several women and exposes the criminals.
However, despite his heroic actions, Dominic isn’t celebrated by the police department. His old enemies in the force ensure that his suspension isn't lifted. But Dominic no longer cares. He finally regains his dignity and sense of purpose, realizing that being a hero isn’t about wearing a uniform — it’s about standing for the right thing, no matter the cost.
In the end, Dominic sets up a small but growing detective agency with Vignesh and Nandhitha’s help, hinting at a hopeful new beginning.
Cast
[edit]- Mammootty as CI Dominic, an ex-police officer and private detective
- Gokul Suresh as Vignesh / Vicky, Dominic's assistant
- Sushmitha Bhatt as Nandhita (Karthik in real)
- Viji Venkatesh as Madhuri, Dominic's house owner
- Siddique as Soman Pillai
- Vineeth as Prakash
- Vijay Babu as Tony
- Meenakshi Unnikrishnan as Pooja Raveendran
- Shine Tom Chacko as Alby
- Balachandran Chullikkad as Swamy
- Suresh Krishna as Sanjay
- Gautham Vasudev Menon as Ibrahim Mooppan
- Lena as Lakshmi, Dominic's ex-wife
- Sudev Babu as Karthik, Nandhita's brother and Pooja's lover
- Wafa Khatheeja Rahman as Jhansi, Pooja's friend
- Arjun Nandhakumar as SI Arun Kumar
- Dinesh Prabhakar as John
- Ashvin Mathew as Lekshmi's second husband
- Neeraja Rajendran as Alby's Mother
- Veena Nair as Pooja's mother
- P. R. Rajasekharan as City Police Commissioner Unais Ibrahim
- Raghunath Paleri as Francis, Karthik's neighbour
- Yassar as SP
- Harshitha J. Pisharody
- Laya Simpson as Reetha, Soman Pillai's girlfriend
- Sudha Sumithran as Nandhita's Neighbour
- Jayakumar as Chandrashekhar
- Anthony as a shop owner in Nagercoil
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]A few weeks before Turbo's release in 2024, it was reported that Mammootty and Gautham Vasudev Menon would come together for their next film's. Nayanthara, who lastly paired opposite Mammootty in Puthiya Niyamam, was reported to pair up with the actor again.[4] The project would mark as Gautham's directorial debut in Malayalam cinema.[5][6] The production was set to begin that June 2024 in Chennai; however, the team instead finalised in Kochi.[7] Touted to be an action thriller, production was pushed to July 2024.[8] The project would be funded by Mammootty Kampany, in their sixth production following Rorshach, Nanpakal Neerathu Mayakkam, Kaathal The Core, Kannur Squad and Turbo.[9] The makers made announcement on 10 July 2024, confirming the project,[10] under the tentative title Production No: VI.[11]
The film also marks as the second collaboration between Mammootty with Gautham after they had previously acted together in Bazooka.[12] A muhurat puja was held the same day in Kochi with the cast and crew. Darbuka Siva would score the music, while Vishnu Dev and Lewellyn Anthony would handle the cinematography and editing.[13] Sound designer Tapas Nayak and designer Aesthetic Kunjamma are also a part of the crew alongside them. Although Nayanthara was confirmed to not be a part of the cast, Gokul Suresh, Lena, Siddique, Vijay Babu and Viji Venkatesh were announced to be part of the cast.[14][15] In May 2024, the film's screenplay was reported to written by Gautham, Martin Prakkat, Naveen Bhaskar and Neeraj–Sooraj; the writers of ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi (2013), while the story would be written by Neeraj–Sooraj only. The reports were confirmed during their presence in the muhurat puja.[16]
Filming
[edit]Principal photography began with the first schedule on 10 July 2024 in Kochi.[17]
Music
[edit]The music and background score is composed by Darbuka Siva, in his Malayalam debut; second with Gautham after Enai Noki Paayum Thota (2019).[13]
| Dominic and the Ladies' Purse | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Language | Malayalam | |||
| Producer | Darbuka Siva | |||
| Darbuka Siva chronology | ||||
| ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ee Rathri" | Vinayak Sasikumar | Vijay Yesudas, ThirumaLi, Sathyaprakash, Pavithra Chari | 4:29 |
| 2. | "Margazhi" | Vinayak Sasikumar | Keerthana Vaidyanathan, Kapil Kapilan | 3:16 |
Release
[edit]Dominic and the Ladies' Purse was released in theatres on 23 January 2025.[18]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]The film received mixed reviews from critics.
Rohit Panikker of Times Now gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The film is a fun and entertaining mystery thriller that has been packaged and presented differently from what we have been used to from the genre of late [...] Dominic and the Ladies' Purse definitely makes for an engaging theatrical experience both in terms of visual as well as cerebral story-telling."[19]
Gopika I. S. of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse is more of a Mammootty one-man show, in a good way. It is a little different from your regular Gautham Vasudev Menon film but there is a style to the storytelling and there are those seemingly trivial things that add a special charm to the film."[20]
Janani K. of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse come together in its last act, where the film springs a surprise. While Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse had great elements that could have been fleshed out into an intriguing whodunit thriller, Gautham Menon's approach doesn't quite land well."[21]
Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave a negative review of the film rating it 1.5/5 stars and wrote "From the very beginning, Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse consistently evokes a feeling in us; and that's frustration. It's not that the GVM film is outright terrible, but the sheer carelessness in its execution is so palpable that the movie ultimately feels like a series of wasted opportunities."[22]
S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote "Dominic's quest for the purse's owner and the way it slowly builds into a wider investigation with bigger stakes is quite an intriguing narrative, but the way it is approached on screen almost spoils it."[23]
Latha Srinivasan of Hindustan Times wrote "An investigative thriller should be gripping and keep you engaged at every turn, and this was amiss in this flick. Having said that, there are sparks of brilliance throughout the film, and the final twist was good but perhaps a tad too late to redeem its flaws."[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dominic and the Ladies' Purse". British Board of Film Classification. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ "January mollywood movie release boxoffice". Manorama News. 27 January 2025.
- ^ "Dominic and the Ladies Purse Box Office Collection_All Language_Day Wise _Worldwide". Sacnilk. 1 February 2025. Archived from the original on 1 February 2025. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ "Mammootty and Nayanthara to team up for Gautham Menon's film: Buzz". The Times of India. 14 May 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "BUZZ: Mammootty and Nayanthara to reunite onscreen once again; movie likely to be directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon?". Pinkvilla. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Gautham Menon to direct Mammootty, Nayanthara in first Malayalam film: Report". India Today. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Mammootty and Gautham Vasudev Menon's film delayed? Here's what we know". OTTPlay. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Is Mammootty - Gautham Vasudev Menon's upcoming film delayed?". The Times of India. 17 June 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Mammootty - Gautham Vasudev Menon film starts rolling". The Times of India. 10 July 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Gautham Menon's debut directorial in Malayalam with Mammootty starts rolling". The South First. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (10 July 2024). "Mammootty's Next Marks Gautham Vasudev Menon's Malayalam Directorial Debut; Project Kickstarts with Puja Ceremony". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Gautham Menon to make his Malayalam debut with Mammootty's next". The Hindu. 10 July 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Mammootty- Gautham Vasudev Menon film, Gokul Suresh roped in for the project". The Times of India. 10 July 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ Features, C. E. (10 July 2024). "Mammootty and Gautham Vasudev Menon's film goes on floors". Cinema Express. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Mammootty launches next movie with Gautham Vasudev Menon; cast and crew details underway". Pinkvilla. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Gautham Vaudev Menon to direct Mammootty's next? Inside details here." Desimartini. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "GVM's first Malayalam directorial goes on floors, Mammootty Kampany shares pics from pooja ceremony". www.dtnext.in. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Mammootty, Gautham Menon's Dominic and the Ladies Purse's release date out". India Today. 1 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ "Dominic And The Ladies' Purse Review: An Engaging Sherlock-esque Mystery That Keeps You Guessing All The Way". Times Now. 23 January 2025. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ "Dominic and the Ladies' Purse Movie Review : Mammootty shines in this stylish mystery investigation drama". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ "Dominic and The Ladies Purse review: Mammootty, Gautham Menon film is engaging in parts". India Today. 23 January 2025. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ "Dominic and the Ladies' Purse movie review: Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mammootty deliver an amateurish mystery comedy". The Indian Express. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Praveen, S. R. (23 January 2025). "'Dominic And the Ladies' Purse' movie review: Needless flab turns Gautham Menon-Mammootty film into average fare". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Srinivasan, Latha (24 January 2025). "Dominic and the Ladies' Purse review: A stellar Mammootty elevates this average investigative thriller". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
